Acutely administered polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) decrease splenic cellularity but increase its ability to cause graft-versus-host reactions in BALB/c mice.
A single intraperitoneal injection of 1000 mg/kg body weight of a PCB mixture (Aroclor 1242) to adult male BALB/cc mice caused not only a relative spleen enlargement, but also an absolute spleen lymphocyte depletion. However, there was an enrichment of spleen T cells necessary to cause a graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) in (C3H x BALB/c) F1 neonates. The effect was present 6 days after PCB administration and was no longer present on days 12-13. These studies suggest a transient effect of acutely administered PCBs on splenic lymphocytes (B cells, null cells, some T cells) other than mature GVH inducing T cells. The effect may be either similar to or possibly indirectly mediated by corticosteroids.
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006087:Graft vs Host Reaction / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls